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sports Dialuna 12 OctOber 2020

Sei Young Kim wins 1st major at Women’s PGA Championship

(AP) — Sei Young Kim walking over to compliment
lined up for the putt on a reporter for a story (“really
the 18th hole that would cool”) before Kim teed off on
seal her first LPGA major No. 8.
championship and some- “Before I came to the U.S., I
how missed by inches. actually saw Paul, and I saw
One member of the gal- how he prepared for each
lery — in this instance, tournament, and I told my-
roughly 75 officials, pho- self I want to have him on my
tographers and course bag,” Kim said.
stragglers — even said
“she made it.” Kim hit the putt of her life
Not quite. last November at Tiburon
Golf Club, a 25-foot birdie
The 27-year-old South Ko- on the final hole of the CME
rean laughed off the rare Group Tour Championship
misstep, tapped in the win- to win $1.5 million, the rich-
ner and shed the unwelcome est prize in the history of
label of winningest golfer women’s golf. The money is
on the tour without a major. far less at Aronimink — but
Kim raised her arms “Rocky” the prestige of winning a ma-
style, hugged her caddie and, jor means so much more. “I
at last, was a major champion. won’t lie, I did feel the pres-
Kim chewed up Aronimink sure starting last night,” Kim
Golf Club in record style, said. “I actually arrived about
shooting a 7-under 63 on ence. “See you soon,” Kim hard-charging Park. Park had 30 minutes later than I nor-
Sunday to win the KPMG said with a smile and a wave. She earned $645,000 for the three birdies on the front mally do at the golf course. I
Women’s PGA Champion- She was, Park said, “really victory. Kim has at least one nine as she tried to match really tried to stay composed
ship. She was five strokes untouchable.” win in every LPGA Tour sea- Mickey Wright with a record during the tournament, dur-
better than runner-up Inbee Park, a three-time winner son since 2015. “It was just so fourth win at the Women’s ing the round, and I’m happy
Park, never seriously chal- of this championship, shot hard to believe that she never PGA Championship. “I that I got it done.”
lenged on the arduous course a 5-under 65. Park won the won a major before because it thought 65 will definitely do
in suburban Philadelphia. Women’s PGA Champion- felt like she won a few,” Park it,” Park said. “I was thinking The tournament was delayed
ship in 2015 and Kim was in said. Nasa Hataoka and Car- maybe like 5 to 6 under is a three months because of the
“I’m actually really hiding the first group of people on lota Ciganda tied for third at good number to kind of post coronavirus pandemic, land-
my tears at the moment,” she the course to celebrate with 7 under. Anna Nordqvist (4 and just see what happens. ing its final round smack on
said, standing next to the tro- her. under) and Brooke Hender- But obviously Sei Young was a packed sports Sunday. The
phy. son (3 under) both played just much better than anyone PGA of America had to get
Her dominance was in plain Five years later, it was Kim’s in Kim’s group and finished else out there today.” creative with the tee times
sight. She finished at 14-un- time to hoist the trophy. fifth and sixth. Kim is the with NBC having other pro-
der 266. Her final-round 63 Kim, a 2016 Olympian, was latest addition to a growing As she approached 18, the gramming commitments on
tied a tournament record, runner-up at the 2015 Wom- list of first-time major win- trophy sitting out near the the weekend and the leaders
and her 266 set the champi- en’s PGA Championship and ners in recent years, a sign of hole for her to see, pretty — including Kim — teed off
onship scoring record. tied for second at the Evian growing parity. Her victory much everyone out at Aron- at 8:49 a.m.
Championship in 2018. Kim means nine of the last 10 ma- imink lined the ropes. She
Kim, who earned her 11th held the 54-hole lead at a ma- jor champions had never won got a big ovation after her Founded in 1896, Aronim-
LPGA victory, got the cham- jor once, at the 2015 ANA In- one before. She joins Sophia tap-in sealed the win. ink has hosted a number of
pionship push rolling when spiration, where she finished Popov (Women’s British Kim waved to the crowd and significant golf events during
she matched a tournament in a tie for fourth. Open) and Mirim Lee (ANA was doused in champagne as its storied history, including
record with a 29 on the front She clinched the champion- Inspiration) as this year’s ma- she walked off the course. the 1962 PGA Champion-
nine on Friday. She never re- ship with a round to remem- jor champions. With Paul Fusco on the bag, ship won by Gary Player.
ally slowed down. ber at Aronimink. Kim’s fifth Kim dazzled at another event Kim matched a tournament Aronimink’s golf course was
About the only surprise Sun- birdie of the day at the par-3 without the roar of the galler- record with a 29 on the front designed by Donald Ross
day came when her father ap- 14th gave her a four-shot lead ies -- though Toronto Rap- nine on Friday and shot a 32 in 1926 and is off the ma-
peared on a video chat toward over Park and put her at 12 tors star Kyle Lowry walked for the front nine on Sun- jor schedule until the PGA
the end of her press confer- under for the championship. the course -- and held off a day. Fusco kept it loose, even Championship in 2026.

Rashford scores in England win v Belgium: Haaland hat trick

(AP) — England came from be- in Group 2 of League A. Also in that Perfect FIGHT
hind to beat Belgium 2-1 and group, Denmark was hosting Iceland Substitute Andrej Kramarić scored
move top of its UEFA Nations later Sunday. Denmark has one point the winner nine minutes after com-
League group on Sunday, and Er- and the visitors zero. ing off the bench to help Croatia beat
ling Haaland netted a hat trick to Sweden 2-1.
help Norway assuage its Europe- Haaland hat trick Croatia moved three points below
an Championship playoff disap- Haaland helped Norway thrash Ro- France and Portugal in Group 3 of
pointment. mania 4-0 and move top in Group 1 League A. Defending champion Por-
of League B. tugal and France play each other later,
Marcus Rashford’s penalty canceled Alexander Sørloth scored Norway’s knowing that one or both of them
out Romelu Lukaku’s spot kick in other goal. Haaland already has six will lose their perfect record in this
the first half before Mason Mount’s goals in the competition. season’s competition. Finland beat Bulgaria 2-0 in Group
looping, deflected shot clinched Eng- Norway lost a Euro 2020 playoff to Italy and Poland have the chance to 4 of League B and 10-man Ireland
land’s first victory over a top-ranked Serbia on Thursday. top Group 1 of League A after the drew 0-0 against Wales.
team in nine years. The result also Austria can move level on points with Netherlands drew 0-0 against Bos- There were four draws in League
ended Belgium’s 13-match unbeaten Norway with a win over Northern nia-Herzegovina. C: Armenia 2, Georgia 2; Estonia 3,
run. Ireland later. North Macedonia 3; Kazakhstan 0,
England is a point ahead of Belgium Other matches Albania 0; and Lithuania 2, Belarus 2.